UNI Lands Another FBS Receiver Via Transfer Portal
Prior to the start of last season, UNI added former FBS wide receivers Desmond Hutson (Iowa), Devell Washington (West Virginia), and Peter Udoibok (Minnesota). Prior to that, wideout Quan Hampton joined the program as a transfer from Kansas.
Add another to the list.
Following a commitment from D.J. Hart, an FCS wide receiver out of North Dakota State earlier this week, Northern Iowa landed another pass catcher from the portal -- this time, it's Mason Pierre-Antoine from Northern Illinois.
Pierre-Antoine spent two years in DeKalb, Illinois, redshirting his first season and later making the decision to enter the transfer portal in late November of this year.
You can see his practice film from his NIU tenure here:
A former three-star recruit out of high school, Pierre-Antoine received interest from a barrage of programs across the country during his initial recruiting process. According to 247Sports, he was recruited by schools like Georgia, USC, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Penn State, and others. Rivals adds Iowa and Iowa State to the list of schools that showed interest.
Northern Iowa was one of the schools that recruited the Frankfort, Illinois native out of high school, too.
"I had a connection with (UNI wide receivers coach Joe Ganz) already," Pierre-Antoine said. "Once I got on campus and saw the details of the type of offense they run, the elite quarterback they have in Theo (Day), and how they utilize a balance of both the run and pass game, I was sold."
Day led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in passing yards (3,121) and passing touchdowns (26) this season. The offense was led by co-offensive coordinators Bodie Reeder and Ryan Clanton.
"I was amazed about the relationship that Coach Ganz and Coach Reeder had with each other," Pierre-Antoine said. "They are on the same page which makes for a great offense."
It wasn't just those members of the staff that impressed the former Husky: "Last but not least, Coach (Mark) Farley is a well-respected coach."
Soon, Pierre-Antoine will arrive on campus along with other mid-year transfers and 2023 early enrollees.
"UNI will get an extremely hard worker, team player, and route technician," Pierre-Antoine added. "Coach Farley has a great team of coaches, which I’m excited to play for."